The present invention relates to vises, and more particularly to a quick action vise.
Many types of vises are known incorporating a fixed clamping jaw and a movable clamping jaw which is controlled by a control in the form of a rod incorporating a worm gear. Rotation of the control results in the movement of the movable jaw toward or away from the fixed jaw. The gear rotation permits manual effort to be readily translated into the considerable forces useful in clamping a workpiece between the jaws of the vise. However, the movement of movable jaw by rotation of the control is relatively slow. This slowness is inefficient for gross displacement of the movable jaw or the release of the workpiece.
Accordingly, some vises have included a clutch which disengages from the worm gear so that the movable jaw may be quickly displaced by longitudinal movements of the control. A disadvantage arises if a separate means is provided for actuating the clutch mechanism since it is desirable that one hand be available for manipulation of the control and another for supporting and handling the workpiece.
Some vises allow disengagement of the worm gear by a small, usually counterclockwise, movement of the control. Such a device is disclosed by Hunt in U.S. Pat. No. 1,055,278. A disadvantage of this and related vises is the complexity of the mechanisms that permit this one-handed control. Because of the complexity of the mechanisms provided, the resulting vises have proved relatively cumbersome, unreliable, unaesthetic and uneconomical. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved quick action vise readily susceptible to one-handed operation.